Royal superfans traveled hundreds of miles in the early hours to line the capital’s streets with flags and banners in anticipation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s thanksgiving service this morning.
Some 1,800 people are expected to attend the memorial service at Westminster Abbey, with millions more tuning in to the BBC broadcast at home.
Meanwhile, a small crowd also gathered outside the church in central London, with some supporters wearing colorful Union Jack-themed outfits.
Around 50 people gathered beside barriers near the entrance to the abbey to catch a glimpse of members of the royal family making their way inside.
Royal enthusiast John Loughrey, 67, has been waiting outside the venue for the memorial service for Philip since 6.30am.
He said: “It’s the funeral he never had because when he died the country was still on lockdown.
“I wanted to go, but I and others respected the Queen’s wish not to appear, so I stayed at home and watched the service on TV. Although later I laid flowers at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
“It was really sad to see the Queen sitting alone with a Covid mask as she had to mourn alone without members of her family.
“That’s why I and many others are here today to support the Queen and the Royal Family. She had a tough time in her 70th anniversary when she lost her husband and soul mate.
“But I think it’s also important to show the Duke the respect he deserves for being an inspiration to his country and people.”
Royal superfans lined the streets of the capital this morning with flags and banners in anticipation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s thanksgiving service
Some 1,800 people are expected to attend the memorial service at Westminster Abbey, with millions more tuning in to the BBC broadcast at home
A royal enthusiast, dressed in a Union Jack flag suit, holds a bag bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth before the thanksgiving service for the late Prince Philip
Around 50 people gathered beside barriers near the entrance to the abbey to catch a glimpse of members of the royal family making their way inside
Royal fan John Loughrey awaits arrivals for a thanksgiving service for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey in London
The Queen will remember her 73-year-old husband at the ceremony, which will also be attended by more than 20 close relatives, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Cambridges
Details of a royal enthusiast’s attire are seen ahead of the thanksgiving service for the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Maria Scott, 51, was also at the Abbey at dawn after traveling almost 300 miles from Newcastle.
She said: “I think it’s a great honor to be here today, as a great Royalist I was really disappointed not to be able to attend his funeral last April.
“He was a huge force in the Queen’s life and in the royal family so I’m sure she’ll be here today even if she has to use a cane.
“I never met the Duke, I had been camping at Windsor Castle during the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations and he came towards us but crossed the road just before he got to where we were standing so ours were paths never meant to cross.
“But I wish I had met him because he had a wacky sense of humor and it would have been great to hear what he had to say. I hope today is a fitting way to commemorate him.’
The Queen will remember her 73-year-old husband at the ceremony, which will also be attended by more than 20 close relatives, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Cambridges.
The 95-year-old monarch has gathered to perform and guide her family at the high-profile and personally significant occasion honoring husband Philip.
She made the final decision earlier this morning, hours before she was due to travel from Windsor Castle to central London, as she was determined to be at Westminster Abbey when her mobility allowed.
It is a poignant occasion for the Queen to remember her 73-year-old husband amongst family and friends following the restrictions placed on the Duke’s funeral during the pandemic.
A palace spokesman said: “The Queen currently intends to attend the service this morning.”
While plans could change before the service begins at 11:30 a.m., preparations for the monarch’s appearance are now in full swing.
The Duke’s relatives, friends, colleagues and his charities and well-wishers are gathering to pay a deeper tribute to the man whose funeral was attended by just 30 of his loved ones last April.
Special arrangements have been made for the Queen’s comfort, with the service being limited to 40 minutes and the monarch seated in one of the Canadian chairs, but with an extra cushion.
The difficulty for the queen was whether the monarch would be able to go to her seat.
BBC cameras will likely avoid filming the monarch as she walks through the rear of the Abbey via Poets’ Corner – a shorter route to place in the lantern.
Traditionally, the Queen arrived at the Great West Door and walked the length of the church, through the nave and choir.
But in October, while attending the Royal British Legion’s centenary service with a cane, she arrived at Poets’ Yard via Poets’ Corner.
Royal fans and onlookers await the possible arrival of the Queen and others outside Westminster Abbey this morning
Royal enthusiast John Loughrey, 67, has been waiting outside the venue for the memorial service for Philip since 6.30am
Crowds of royal enthusiasts stand near Westminster Abbey hoping to see family members before the memorial service this morning
The monarch has only attended one major event with the public since concerns about her health were raised in October, when she spent a night in hospital to undergo tests and was ordered to rest by a doctor.
Seven weeks ago on February 5, on the eve of her platinum anniversary, she hosted a reception for local charity workers, former estate employees and other members of the Women’s Institute at her private residence in Norfolk, Sandringham House.
Tuesday’s service will be the Queen’s first major official engagement away from one of her homes in five and a half months since she traveled to Cardiff to give a speech in Senedd, Wales, on October 14.
She retired earlier this month from attending the Commonwealth Day service at the Abbey, a significant date on the royal calendar as the family of nations is important to the monarch.
On this occasion, it is believed that mobility issues for the Queen, who now sometimes walks with a cane, and the need to ensure her comfort prevented her from joining the senior kings and community.
Many of her light duties are now performed via video call, and the nation’s longest-reigning sovereign, who turns 96 in three weeks, said at a recent in-person audience: “Well, as you can see, I can’t move. ‘
The Queen faced a bout of Covid in February but has since recovered.
Questions remain about their presence during the anniversary weekend – a busy four-day extravaganza that includes a pop concert, church service, pageant and Trooping the Colour.
The Duke is said to be remembered at the Abbey as a “man of rare skill and distinction”, with the event including elements he had planned for his own funeral, which were banned due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipients and members of the UK Cadet Force youth associations will line the steps of Westminster Abbey as guests arrive.
The Duke’s wish for the congregation to sing the rousing anthem Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer and for clergymen from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral to play a special role will finally be granted on Tuesday.
More than 20 members of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Cambridges, will join nearly 30 foreign royals, including the King and Queen of Spain and Prince Albert of Monaco.
It is believed that some of Philip’s older great-grandchildren will attend, giving the youngest generation of royals a chance to honor their great-grandfather.
Among those sitting in the abbey will be the Duke of York, although earlier this month Andrew paid millions out of court to settle a civil sexual assault case.
He will arrive alongside his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their husbands, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank.
The 1,800-strong community will be Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, Philip’s other family and friends, and 500 representatives of his patronage and charities.